Chapter XXI.—Letter of
Constantius to the Egyptians in behalf of Athanasius. Synod of
Jerusalem.

The emperor, on sending
back12771277 Athan. Apol. cont. Arian. 54–56;
Hist. Arian. 23; these are given in Soc. ii. 23; and for the
Synod of Jerusalem, ii. 24; Ruf. i. 19.
Athanasius to Egypt, wrote in his favor to the bishops and presbyters
of that country, and to the people of the church of Alexandria; he
testified to the integrity of his conduct and the virtue of his
manners, and exhorted them to be of one mind, and to unite in prayer
and service to God under his guidance. He added that, if any
evil-disposed persons should excite disturbances, they should receive
the punishment awarded by the laws for such offenses. He also commanded
that the former decrees he had enacted against Athanasius, and those
who were in communion with him, should be effaced from the public
registers, and that his clergy should be admitted to the same
exemptions they had previously enjoyed; and edicts to this effect were
dispatched to the governors of Egypt and Libya.

Immediately on his arrival in Egypt, Athanasius
displaced those whom he knew to be attached to Arianism, and placed the
government of the Church and the confession of the Nicæan council
in the hands of those whom he approved, and he exhorted them to hold to
this with earnestness. It was said at that time, that, when he was
traveling through other countries, he effected the same change, if he
happened to visit churches which were under the Arians. He was
certainly accused of having dared to perform the ceremony of ordination
in cities where he had no right to do so. But because he had effected
his return, although his enemies were unwilling, and it did not seem
that he could be easily cast under suspicion, in that he was honored
with the friendship of the Emperor Constans, he was regarded with
greater consideration than before. Many bishops, who had previously
been at enmity with him, received him into communion, particularly
those of Palestine. When he at that time visited these latter, they
received him kindly. They held a Synod at Jerusalem, and Maximus and
the others wrote the following letter in his favor.